Hand of Sorrow
by Lily and Shadow
Summary: Naruto lived alone until he was found by a teacher who worked for a prince. From there he was trained to fight and became a powerful weapon and a barganing chip in times of war. NaruSasu, NaruHina AU, AT, silght OOC. HIATUS.
1. The Hand

**A/N:** Hola. Ok, this is my first Naruto fic. Quite frankly I never thought I'd write one. But then this idea came along and it just seemed to good to pass up. The stuff in italics at the bottom would be the lyrics to the song this is based on. It's Hand of Sorrow by Within Temptation. If you haven't heard it you should look it up cause it's a pretty awesome song. Anyway, on with the story.

**A/N2:** Hola. Well it's been about a year and a half since I started this. But I was going through the things I have on this site and decided I liked the premise of this. There are some problems, though. The biggest is that I had three more chapters written, but I've since lost the notebook they were in. So I'm starting from the middle of chapter after the last one posted. Should be interesting. I hope to have chapter three up tonight.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or the Hand of Sorrow lyrics.

* * *

The strange shinobi paused for a moment in the top of an old oak tree to watch the first snow falling. The same question he had asked himself a million times before was gnawing at the edges of his mind once again. Why was he here?

Subconsciously he scanned the area around him for any sign of other living creatures. Finding nothing he went back to his thoughts.

His unforgiving memory took him back to the day it had all begun. What would have happened, he wondered, if he had said no? Where would he be now? Would things be better? Surely they would.

But there was more to it than that. There were the consequences of his choice. In the end would it all be justified? Was he even on the same side anymore? He had changed hands so many times he didn't know what to believe anymore. All he knew was what he had lost.

**The child without a name grew up to be the hand  
To watch you, to shield you or kill on demand  
****The choice he'd made he could not comprehend  
His blood a grim secret they had to command**

**He's torn between his honor and the true love of his life  
He prayed for both but was denied**

**So many dreams were broken and so much was sacrificed  
Was it worth the ones we loved and had to leave behind?  
****So many years have passed, who are the noble and the wise?  
Will all our sins be justified?**

**The curse of his powers tormented his life  
Obeying the crown was a sinister price  
****His soul was tortured by love and by pain  
He surely would flee but the oath made him stay**

**He's torn between his honor and the true love of his life  
He prayed for both but was denied**

**So many dreams were broken and so much was sacrificed  
Was it worth the ones we loved and had to leave behind?  
****So many years have passed, who are the noble and the wise?  
Will all our sins be justified?**

**Please forgive me for the sorrow, for leaving you in fear  
For the dreams we had to silence, that's all they'll ever be  
****Still I'll be the hand that saves you  
Though you'll not see that it is me**

**So many dreams were broken and so much was sacrificed  
Was it worth the ones we loved and had to leave behind?  
****So many years have passed, who are the noble and the wise?  
Will all our sins be justified?**

* * *


	2. The Child Without a Name

**A/N: **Hola! Sorry I took so long to type this! I have about two more chapters of this written, but I have so much going on right now and I'm working on about a million things, so it took me a while to finish typing this cause it's kind of long. I know the story might seem a little weird, but remember, Naruto is possesed by a fox-demon.

Thank you to Dragon 77 for being my first reviewer!

**Dislcaimer:** I don't own Naruto.

* * *

It was so cold. Tiny flakes of frost had begun to fall from the dark grey sky – the first snow of the year. The blonde child shivered as the wind cut through his tattered orange kimono, but he brushed it off. He could not allow himself to be distracted by the cold. Not now when there was food in sight. Silently he inched his way closer to the rabbit he had been following. When he was finally close enough, he pounced. With practiced ease he caught the squirming thing in his hands and snapped its neck.

Just as he began to tear through the flesh he heard something moving behind him. He turned quickly and was surprised to find himself face to face with something that looked much like him but bigger. Unsure of what to do, he decided it would be best to show this creature he was not afraid. Making sure to expose as many of his pointed teeth as possible he snarled at the creature, who simply looked confused.

"Hello there little one," it said in a language the blonde could not understand.

Again the blonde growled

"My name is Iruka. What's yours?" the dark haired man asked, offering a hand.

The blonde drew back. This creature wanted his food! Fine. If it wanted it, it would have to fight for it.

Iruka frowned. Clearly he wasn't getting through. He took a moment to consider what he had seen. It was fairly obvious that if he tried to get any closer he would be bitten. This kid seemed like he'd been raised by wolves or something. He'd just caught and killed the rabbit he was holding with his bare hands. Maybe he was intending to eat it. Maybe that was the problem, the boy thought Iruka was trying to steal his food. Ok, perhaps the best thing to do was back off until the kid had finished with the rabbit.

Slowly he raised his hands in a show of submission and began to back away. Much to his surprise it seemed to work. As soon as he was a satisfactory distance away the boy finished tearing the skin off the dead rabbit and began eating it raw. Just the sight of it made Iruka feel sick. Maybe the kid really _had_ been raised by wolves. He even looked a bit like a wolf, with his fangs and the whisker-like scars on his cheeks and the way he stood on all fours. Then again, with the orange kimono, maybe he looked more like a fox.

When the little savage had finished eating the rabbit he buried the bones and a few bloodied leaves and began to walk away. Suddenly he froze and sniffed the air before turning to growl at Iruka again. God, this kid really was like a fox. Still, Iruka wouldn't be defeated that easily. Slowly he approached the boy. The blonde's only response was to growl louder. Iruka took this to be a good thing; at least he wasn't being attacked. He stopped about three feet away and pulled an onigiri out of his pocket. He'd been saving it for lunch, but if it would get the kid to come then it was well worth giving it up.

The blonde sniffed at the older creature, trying to figure out what it was holding. Food. It was offering him food. Maybe it hadn't been trying to steal from him. He moved a little closer and watched as the creature set the food down and took a step back. Tenatively he sniffed it. It seemed ok. Not being one to turn down an easy meal, he wolfed it in two bites then looked back up at the creature. It was smiling.

"There you go," it said. "I only want to help you."

The fox-boy cocked his head, but moved a little closer. Good. Progress. For a second time Iruka offered a hand to the boy who sniffed it and looked up at him curiously. With a painful slowness he reached down to touch the boy's blonde hair. The boy froze, but did not move away. Success!

The older creature stroked his hair gently. It felt nice. Maybe this creature wasn't so bad. If only it could speak properly, perhaps he could be friends with it. But no matter. The creature could learn to speak. He could teach it. That might be fun. It was a nice thought. He'd never really had friends before. Well, he had Kyuubi, but he hardly counted.

Wait. The creature had begun to walk away. It was still watching him, though. Maybe it wanted him to follow it. Ok. After all, what was the worst that could happen?

Great! He'd gotten the fox-boy to follow him. Now the only problems would be actually getting him inside and getting Tenshouri-sama to let him keep the boy. He had a feeling the second would be much easier than the first. After all, he had served as tutor to the prince since the day the boy was born and had become something of a suragate father to him when the king and queen had died. And there was already another orphan living in the castle. Come to think of it, the other boy he had taken in was probably about the same age as the fox-boy following him.

Speaking of the castle, they had reached the edge of the woods and the imposing structure would soon be visible. Iruka decided to take the boy in through a hidden door to avoid the gaurds. He found the perfectly camofolugued entrance without any trouble and unlocked it before noticing that the fox-boy had stopped at the tree line about twenty feet back. Wonderful. He hadn't counted on that.

"Sasuke!" he called down the passage behind the hidden door, hoping the raven-haired boy was within earshot. "Oy, Sasuke-kun!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," the pale boy muttered as he stepped into view. "Geez you're loud Iruka-sensei. What's the rush?"

"Could you get me something from the kitchen?" Iruka asked, not moving from the doorway.

"Like what?" Sasuke replied.

"Food," Iruka said as though this should be obvious.

"What kind of food?" Sasuke asked again, annoyed.

"Doesn't matter," Iruka told him. "And when you get back here, try to stay out of sight."

Sasuke just rolled his eyes and headed for the kitchen. It was no use asking what his teacher was planning. Sometimes he doubted Iruka's sanity.

Once Sasuke was gone, Iruka turned his attention back to the fox-boy slowly creeping out of the woods. Slowly and cautiously the boy moved toward the castle, pausing every other step to look around and sniff the air for any sign of danger as he advanced out into the open.

A couple of minutes later Sasuke returned carrying a bowl of ramen. Iruka couldn't help but smile to himself. Sasuke hated ramen. He was probably just trying to get rid of it so he wouldn't have to eat it. Regardless of the motive behind the choice of foods, Iruka thanked him and set the bowl down in the hall near the door before backing away.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked. Maybe his teacher really was crazy.

"Just watch," Iruka told him.

Sure enough, a few moments later a strange boy wandered into view. Warily he crept closer, sniffing the air. After what seemed like forever he stepped silently over the threshold. He stopped at the bowl and sniffed it. Smiling, he began to eat it in much the same way a racoon might.

"What's wrong with him?" Sasuke commented snidely.

"I don't think he's ever been around people," Iruka informed him sharply.

" Cause _that's_ not obvious," Sasuke remarked sarcasticly, rolling his eyes.

"He can learn," Iruka said. "I intend to teach him. And you're going to help me."

"Why?" Sasuke whinned. The kid seemed like a total savage and he wanted nothing to do with the freak.

"Because I need someone to use as an example of correct behaviour," Iruka said.

"Does that mean I have to talk to him?" Sasuke demanded.

"No," Iruka said. "Not right now at least. In fact, I wouldn't suggest going near him right now. He might bite."

Sasuke looked horrified. Exactly what was Iruka training here? A kid or a bear? Iruka, however, was already down the hall past the kid and was pushing the door shut.

The blonde, who had finished eating, smiled up at the dark haired man. This creature seemed very kind. But something was moving at the end of the hall. He watched as another creature like him stepped out of the shadows. He growled loudly at it, but it merely rolled its dark eyes and came toward him. He barred his teeth in warning, but the creature moved closer anyway. A hand was extended toward him and that was all the provocation he needed. Lunging at it he clamped down as hard as he could, holding on until he tasted blood.

"OW!" Sasuke shouted, yanking his hand back. "The little bastard bit me!"

"Mind your language," Iruka reprimanded. "I warned you."

"The freak has fangs or something," Sasuke continued, ignoring Iruka. "He's like a wolf or something. My hand is bleeding."

"You'll live," Iruka told him. "Just make sure to clean it well."

"Where did you find him?" Sasuke asked, trying to what could have happened to make the boy that way.

"In the woods," Iruka said.

"Does he have a name?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't think so," Iruka said thoughtfully. "He doesn't seem to speak."

"What are we supposed to call him then?" Sasuke asked.

"Shiranai-kun," Iruka said. "Just for now. Just until he can tell us if he has a name."

"That sounds weird though," Sasuke said, wrinkling his pale nose.

"Do you have a better idea?" Iruka said.

"Well... no."

"Ok," Iruka said. "Then don't argue with it."

Sasuke sighed and looked back at the strange boy, who simply growled in response. "This is gonna take forever."

* * *

**A/N:** Shiranai means stranger, so they're literally calling him "Stranger-kun." 


	3. Author's Note

Hola,  
So I'm doing some cleaning. This is one of the stories I was thinking about getting rid of. I know some of these have been rather popular, so I'll ask you. Do you guys care if it goes?  
Lily


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